Web Based Resources for Assistive Technology
The following resources provide a wealth of information on assistive technology and assistive technology services for individuals with disabilities. The list is divided into two sections. The first section lists general resources, many of which are supported by advocacy groups. Section two contains sites that are federally funded. All of the State Tech Act Projects, with web sites are listed along with other federally funded programs.
AAC-RERC: http://aac-rerc.com AAC-RERC is the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Communication Enhancement. This is one of a network of RERCs funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) of the United States Department of Education.
AbilityHub: http://www.abilityhub.com/ AbilityHub is an assistive technology related web site for people with a disability who find operating a computer difficult, maybe even impossible. AbilityHub is a starting point for finding information concerning assistive technology and will direct you to adaptive equipment and alternative methods available for accessing computers.
Able Generation: http://www.epvatech.org/index.php designs and manufactures therapeutic furniture for children with special needs.
AbleData: http://www.abledata.com AbleData is a federally funded project whose primary mission is to provide information on assistive technology and rehabilitation equipment available from domestic and international sources to consumers, organizations, professionals, and caregivers within the United States.
AC Access: http://www.acaccess.com/ was established to meet the needs of individuals who have accessibility problems.
Access Ingenuity: http://www.accessingenuity.com/Universal Access specialists, including solutions for all disabilities. Great resource material.
Accessible Website Design Resources: http://www.library.uwsp.edu/aschmetz/accessible/pub_resources.htm, connects to a Government Services Administration (GSA) site with links to several organizations with "how-to's" on designing websites for accessibility for people with disabilities, including a link to "Top Ten Mistakes in Web Design."
AccessStore.com: http://www.accessstore.com This site contains many excellent products to help people with disabilities.
ACOLUG: http://disabilities.temple.edu/acolug ACOLUG is a LISTSERV created to exchange ideas, information and experiences on augmentative communication by people from all over the world. By using e-mail, people who use augmentative communication and their friends and families discuss issues related to augmentative communication, such as equipment, funding, learning techniques and supports. Anyone can join and there is no cost.
Adaptive Technology: http://www.rehabtool.com Adaptive Technology helps people with communication, access or learning disabilities regain independence and productivity with assistive and adaptive computer technology. AT develops augmentative and alternative communication software as well as cognitive rehabilitation tools adapted to the special needs of people with physical disabilities. AT offers multilingual text-to-speech and voice recognition software, screen readers, ergonomic on-screen keyboards with word prediction capability.
AdaptZ.com: http://www.adaptz.com/index.html A meta site with much news and other information about disabilities. Chat, bulletin boards, employment information and many other resources are included here.
Alabama Client Assistance Program: http://www.icdri.org/legal/AlabamaCAP.htm The State of Alabama Client Assistance Program (SACAP) helps people who have questions about vocational rehabilitation services. This includes getting answers if you are having problems related to your rehabilitation program as well as getting assistance in resolving those problems.
Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing: http://www.agbell.org/ Established to empower people who are deaf or hard of hearing to function independently.
Alliance For Technology Access (ATA): http://www.ataccess.org/ ATA is a network of community-based resource centers dedicated to providing information and support services to children and adults with disabilities, and increasing their use of standard, assistive, and information technologies. Centers can be found all across the country.
ALS Links: http://www.alslinks.com/ Internet Portal for the ALS Community. This site also provides access to ALS Digest.
Apraxia-Kids: http://www.apraxia-kids.org The Apraxia-Kids Internet Resources provides comprehensive information regarding Childhood Apraxia of Speech. The site, which is appropriate for both families and professionals, includes: expert articles on diagnosis, treatment, AAC, related disabilities, an email discussion list, a monthly newsletter, message boards, and resource listings. Additionally, there is a research section with the latest news on apraxia research.
Arkansas Increasing Capabilities Access Network (ICAN): http://www.arkansas-ican.org/txt/index2.htm The ICAN Project is committed to the idea that persons with disabilities can reach their full potential, participate and be productive members of their communities if they have the "tools" or assistive technology available. ICAN is a program of Arkansas Rehabilitation Services.
ASHA: http://www.asha.org ASHA is the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. ASHA is the professional organization of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and audiologists. SLPs are the primary service providers for people who rely on AAC and are generally the best resource on an AAC team for addressing language issues. ASHA has a Special Interest Division, SID-12, that addresses AAC.
Assistive Dining Device: http://mealtimepartners.com/Information about a device that allows severely disabled people, who are unable to feed themselves, to eat independently.
Assistive Technology Funding and Systems Change Project (ATFSCP): http://www.ucpa.org/html/innovative/atfsc/index.html Provides training, technical assistance, and information on assistive technology funding and systems change issues nationwide in the USA. The goal of the project is to provide advocates with the knowledge and skills necessary to improve access to assistive technology devices and services for individuals with disabilities.
Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA): www.atia.org/members.html ATIA is a not-for-profit membership organization of manufacturers or distributors selling technology-based assistive devices for people with disabilities or providing services associated with or required by people with disabilitities. An annual conference is held in Orlando, Florida, in January.
Assistive Technology Strategies, Tools, Accomodations, and Resources (ATSTAR): http://www.atstar.org Collaborative effort between AISD and the following 6 agencies: The Austin Community College, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin Harvard School, Sylvan Learning Center, Far South Community Schools, and Region XIII Education Service Center.
Assistive Technology Training Online (ATTO): http://atto.buffalo.edu/ Provides internet-based training in both general and specific areas of adapted computer use. We focus on AT applications that address the needs of students with disabilities in elementary classrooms.
Association for the Advancement of Assistive Technology in Europe (AAATE): www.fernuni-hagen.de/FTB/aaate.htm#resources The goal of AAATE is to stimulate the advancement of assistive technology for the benefit of persons with disabilities, including the elderly. With membership from countries throughout Europe, AAATE focuses on creating awareness of assistive technology, promoting research and development of assistive technologies, contributing to knowledge exchange within the field of assistive technology, and promoting information and development of assistive technologies, contributing to knowledge exchange within the field of assistive technology, and promoting information dissemination.
AT Outcomes: http://www.utoronto.ca/atrc/reference/atoutcomes/ The AT Outcomes listserv and this website are dedicated to the development, evaluation and application of valid, reliable and sensitive outcome measure tools.
ATIA: http://www.atia.org ATIA is the Assistive Technology Industry Association. ATIA organizes an annual conference on assistive technology.
ATOMS: http://www.uwm.edu/CHS/atoms/ The ATOMS project explores, pilots, and tests assistive technology (AT) outcome measurement ideas in order to recommend the next generation outcome system for AT.
Augmentative and Alternative Communication Centers: http://aac.unl.edu
(AAC) strategies assist people with severe communication disabilities to participate more fully in their social roles including interpersonal interaction, learning, education, community activities, employment, volunteerism, care management, and so on. This AAC website is designed to provide access to a wide range of information and resources related to the AAC effort. It is maintained by the Barkley AAC Center and the Munroe-Meyer Institute for Genetics and Rehabilitation at the University of Nebraska.
Augmentative Communication, Inc.: http://www.augcominc.com Augmentative Communication News and Alternatively Speaking provide the latest information on hot topics in the field, discussion of vital issues for AAC stakeholders and news from the AAC community.
Australian Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology Association (ARATA): http://e-bility.com/arata ARATA is an association whose purpose is to serve as a forum for information sharing and liason among people who are involved with assistive technology. The focus of ARATA is on providing opportunities for sharing ideas to ensure the advancement of rehabilitation and assistive technology in Australia through activities as diverse as conferences, special interest groups, a Web site, listserv, membership directory, and a quarterly newsletter.
Braille Research & Literacy, Inc. (BRllnc.): http://www.wyfiwyg.com/ Improves the lives of blind people via innovative computer technology and training. We offer computer products and services to individuals and organizations that assist the disabled. We also write tutorials and keyboard guides to assist disabled people who are new to the personal computer.
Breaking New Ground: http://abe.www.ecn.purdue.edu/ABE/Extension/BNG/resources.html This site is internationally recognized as the main source for information and resources on rehabilitation technology for persons working in agriculture.
California AT Network: http://www.atnet.org/ California's AT Network is dedicated to expanding the accessibility of tools, resources and technology that will help increase independence, improve personal productivity and enhance the quality of life for all Californians.
CAMA: http://www.aacproducts.org The Communication Aid Manufacturers Association (CAMA) is a not-for-profit organization of the world’s leading manufacturers of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) software and hardware products. CAMA conducts more than 30, 1-day workshops throughout the United States each year.
The Center for the Partially Sighted: http://www.low-vision.org/index.html Helps visually impaired people of all ages enhance remaining sight in order to function independently.
The Center for Universal Design: http://www.design.ncsu.edu/cud/ The Center for Universal Design is a national research, information, and technical assistance center that evaluates, develops, and promotes accessible and universal design in buildings and related products. We make every effort to provide information in a variety of ways to ensure access to all.
Challenge Alaska: http://www.challenge.ak.org/ A non-profit organization that provides sports and therapeutic recreation opportunities for those with disabilities. Challenge Alaska believes that everyone, regardless of physical ability, should have an equal chance at recreational opportunities.
The CK Trust Fund: http://www.thecktrustfund.co.uk/ Provides information and helps for goods are for sale, chatroom, pen pals and lots more.
C.H.E.R.A.B.: http://www.apraxia.cc The Communication Help, Education, Research, Apraxia Base Foundation websites are for anyone who cares for a child that has delayed speech, a speech disorder, or is a late talker, etc., as well as for those who care for a child that has received a diagnosis of “apraxia”.
Childhood Apraxia of Speech Association of North America (CASANA): http://www.apraxia.org The Childhood Apraxia of Speech Association is a non-profit organization whose mission is to strengthen the support systems in the lives of children with apraxia so that each child is afforded their best opportunity to develop speech.
Closing the Gap: http://www.closingthegap.com Computers are tools that can provide solutions to many problems facing people with disabilities today. Closing The Gap, Inc. is an organization that focuses on computer technology for people with special needs through its bi-monthly newspaper, annual international conference and extensive web site.
Communication Aid Manufacturers Association (CAMA): www.aacproducts.org CAMA is a not-for-profit organization of the manufacturers of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) software and hardware products. CAMA conducts 1-day workshops on AAC throughout the United States.
Consortium for Assistive Technology Outcomes Research (CATOR): http://www.atoutcomes.org CATOR conducts research dedicated to improving measurement science for assistive technology (AT), reducing barriers to the use of AT outcome measures, and understanding the processes for AT adoption and abandonment.
Cornucopia of Disability Information (CODI): http://codi.buffalo.edu/ A wealth of information relating to disabilities including topics such as: aging; statistics; computing; Centers for Independent Living; and universal design.
CSUN Conference: www.csun.edu/cod/center This conference is a major international exhibit and scientific program covering a broad spectrum of assistive technology applications for sensory impairment, AAC, and computer access. The conference is held in March in Los Angeles. The Center on Disabilities at California State University, Northridge, sponsors the conference. The Web site contains other links and information regarding assistive technology applications.
Dining Designs: http://members.aol.com/diningbibs/ Dining Vests (bibs) are delightfully fashionable and practical. They are easy to wipe/rinse off, have crumb catchers and Velcro attachments that make them easy to put on and take off.
disABILITY Resources on the Internet: http://www.makoa.org/ Provides information and links to a variety of programs involved with AT for individuals with disabilities.
Do-It Internet Resources: http://www.washington.edu/doit/ Resources are listed in many categories including general resources, education, technology, legal, social, and political issues.
Family Center on Technology and Disability (FCTD): www.fctd.info The Center offers organizations and programs that work with families of children and youth with disabilities. The Center offers a range of information and services on the subject of assistive technology (AT). Whether you’re an organization, a parent, an educator, or an interested friend, we hope you’ll find information that supports you in your efforts to bring the highest quality education to children with disabilities.
The Infinitec Assistive Technology Coalitions: http://www.coalitionconnection.org
Facilitated and managed by United Cerebral Palsy of Chicago, permits members to share,
collaborate, problem solve and create valuable and necessary assistive
technology resources to increase access to a quality education for all learners.
Innovative Products: http://www.cforat.org/ Dedicated to manufacturing mobility devices that assist children with severe physical disabilities so they may interact on the same level as their able-bodied peers.
International Center for Disability Resources on the Internet: http://www.icdri.org/ The Center will collect and present best practices in areas related to disability and accessibility issues.
International Seating Symposium: www.rst.pitt.edu/iss/ISS2001HnT.html This annual conference features presentations covering evaluation, provision, research, and quality assurance issues in seating and mobility for persons with disabilities. Scientific and clinical papers, in-depth workshops, panel sessions, and an extensive exhibit hall are featured. Attendees include assistive technology practitioners, assistive technology suppliers, educators, manufacturers, consumers, physicians, rehabilitation engineers, and vocational rehabilitation counselors.
ISAAC: http://www.isaac-online.org ISAAC is the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication. Membership is open to anyone interested in AAC. ISAAC activities include a biennial conference and sponsorship of AAC Journal. Many ISAAC national chapters address more local interests.
Job Accommodation Network (JAN): http://www.jan.wvu.edu/ A service of the U.S. Department of Labor's President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, JAN provides information about job accommodation and the employability of people with functional limitations.